Weekend deaths
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Aug. 2001) suggests that it's dangerous to enter a hospital on a weekend. During a 10-year period, researchers tracked over 4 million emergency admissions to hospitals in Ontario, Canada. Their findings revealed that patients admitted on weekends had a much higher risk of death than those who went to the emergency room on weekdays.
a) The researchers said the difference in death rates was statistically significant. Explain in this context what that means.
b) What kind of study was this? Explain.
c) If you think you're quite ill on a Saturday, should you wait until Monday to seek medical help? Explain.
d) Suggest some possible explanations for this troubling finding.